


spark and fire

by shgayspeare



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Feast, Romance, ft inaccurate film and movie terms because i am just a little lesbian, im hungry for kaochisa so i hope u are too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-05 22:44:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16376426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shgayspeare/pseuds/shgayspeare
Summary: She resisted the urge to sigh. This situation was ridiculous, but… It was possibly the big break she needed.





	1. Chapter 1

A perk of being a lesser known actress was the ability to stop by the same cafe every morning without fail. Her pay wasn’t as lofty as other actors in the business, but she made sure to set aside just enough for a small iced black tea.

Tucked away in the corner of a street, it was a little out of her way, but Chisato loved everything about it. The ring of the bell as she pushed the door open. The sound of the coffee machines brewing another drink. Her friend Kanon’s smile as she asked Chisato if she wanted her usual. A few eyes glanced her way as she ordered, but she paid them no mind.

She couldn’t be bothered to wake up without her tea, after all.

Her morning was simple as that: order her drink, and wait for her name to be called.

Today was a rare break in her routine where she had to spell out her order, since Kanon was taking the day off: a sick day.

But after a few minutes, it was ready. With her prize in hand, she lifted it to her lips to take a triumphant sip.

Or she would have, if not for the elbow that bumped into her at the last minute.

What was supposed to be a refreshing start to her morning became a bitter loss, as her tea spilled onto the floor. A few unfortunate droplets flew and stained her white skirt in the process.

She still had to go to a meeting, too.

Barely restraining the urge to scowl, she closes her eyes.

Her good morning is practically ruined, but she has a reputation to keep. One inhale, then another. Her face finally fixed into a smile, she stares at the offender. Or cranes her head upwards to stare, rather. For her tea’s murderer was tall. Irritatingly tall. Being on the shorter side truly served to be a curse, in moments like this.

But she does not seem to notice Chisato’s struggle. Ignoring the twitch of her brow, she smiled at her, gently placing a slender hand on her heart.

“Ah, my apologies, allow me to clean it.” Chisato could have sworn she heard the lovestruck sigh of several patrons in that moment.

The guilty party fished a handkerchief out of her shirt pocket, kneeling down to clean the spill. It is more of an attempt, as the thin cloth fails to absorb all the tea. A few awkward seconds quickly turn into a minute and no progress is made.

Chisato could only watch in helpless silence, a smile still plastered on her face. She had to intervene.

“Excuse me, ah...”

“Kaoru,” the girl responds, still focused on her task.

“Kaoru. I doubt your handkerchief would clean such a mess… If you let me, I could clean it myself.”

The girl looked at her then, black tea dripping from the cloth in her hand. A sad sight. Chisato pushes down the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. What a great morning this has been.

“But princess—”

“Chisato,” she chimed in.

“Er, Chisato… It wouldn’t be polite to leave a lady in such distress.” Kaoru looked dejected at the thought. Chisato was struck by a tinge of guilt: why did she feel bad?

“...It’s fine.” She plucks several napkins from the dispenser and drops them onto the puddle to prove her point. “If you’re still feeling guilty however, you can just buy me another drink.”

If Kaoru couldn’t clean up her mess, she’ll just have to salvage the situation herself. Luckily, she seemed to get the hint, throwing her handkerchief in the trash and parting from Chisato with a bow.

“An iced black tea, correct?”

Chisato nodded in response. With one more (unnecessary) flourish, Kaoru strided to the register to order. She squatted by the napkins. At least she can finally tidy up while she’s gone.

After ten napkins, and a quick trip to the bathroom later (she couldn’t possibly head to her meeting with her skirt in such a state), Kaoru found her, with a brand new iced black tea.

“For you, my princess. ” Kaoru bowed slightly, offering her the cup. As much as Chisato didn’t want to take the drink, she did ask for it. Her morning depended on it. So with nothing more than a simple “thank you”, she strode out of the cafe, drink in hand.

She was sure Kaoru had something else to add, but she couldn’t be bothered.

After all, why would she talk to someone she had no intentions of seeing again?

At least she was polite. Chisato had to give her that. And minus the incident, she was able to exit with a drink and a muffin. The stains on her skirt were quickly fading from the rigorous scrub she gave them in the bathroom with a soaked paper towel and hand soap.

This meeting was important, and she couldn’t afford to appear any less than perfect for the role. First impressions mattered.

The bell rang once more as she pushed the door open. It was sunny outside, the rays a warm contrast from the chill of the AC. Cars drove by, and people chattered as they walked, but she was focused only on her destination.

* * *

 

Minutes later, she was greeted by two tall glass doors: the agency building. A quick push and she was inside, with ten minutes still to spare. It was better to be early than late in this industry. After being greeted by the secretary at her desk, she walked to the elevator, pushing the button for the lift and waiting.

Chisato considered checking her phone for news on her film,but fate had other plans for her wait. Because as the doors opened, she heard footsteps quickly making their way to her.

And she turned, only to once again make eye contact with Kaoru, who smiled sheepishly at her, a coffee in one hand, and the other reaching out to hold the elevator door open.

“We meet again, my princess,” she said, as they both stepped inside. “Fate is quite a fleeting thing, no?”

Chisato gave her a curt nod, opting to stare at the reflective walls of the elevator. So Kaoru was here, too. Just her luck. Ah, right. She needed to press the button for the fourth floor. Her hand moved to press it, but it was lit up. Pressed by Kaoru.

She couldn’t possibly be an actress, right? And even if she was, there was a low chance of her being in the same meeting as Chisato. She would have heard of her otherwise, and her manager already provided her the files of possible candidates for the lead opposite her.

It couldn’t be.

But as they both exited on the same floor, Chisato’s hopes were slowly diminishing. Maybe she was an assistant? Or even an extra. No, that wasn’t a possibility. This meeting was only for her to get acquainted with her fellow lead and the director.

And as much as she hated admitting it, Kaoru was dressed handsomely. She walked down the hall with long strides, in a button-up shirt and slacks. A more formal manner than any assistant or technician.

Her worries were confirmed when Kaoru entered Room 4E, Chisato’s designated meeting room.

Director Tsurumaki waved at them then, from the head of the table he sat in.

“Kaoru, Chisato! I see you two have met. Sit down, we have much to discuss.”

Chisato sat across Kaoru, and aside her manager, barely restrained shock on her face. Kaoru only smiled at her per usual, no indicators of how she felt about their situation.

“So as I discussed with your managers, you both will be the lead roles in our next production, Spark and Fire. You’ve read the summary of the plot, correct?”

She nodded, along with Kaoru.

He coughed, flipping through the papers in front of him.

“Wonderful. I have both your scripts here. Please take care to look them over before we start the readthrough with the rest of the cast.” He combed through his blonde hair with one hand. “I am sure you have many questions for me, so if I can answer any, I’ll do my best.”

Chisato’s hand shot up before she could even think about it.

“Director, what happened to the other prospective actresses you had lined up for the other role? I mean no offense to Kaoru, but from what I read, the actresses you considered had a number of works credited to them.”

Her manager softly placed a hand on her arm to stop her, but Tsurumaki only laughed.

“As expected, you did your homework. And you’re right, Kaoru here is no skilled actress in film.”

Kaoru straightened up at the mention of her name, smile ever-so-present on her face.

“She is an actress from the local performing arts center. There is only a few productions to her name, but her passion for acting is unlike anything I’ve seen in a while. It is a little risky, but it is an action I wanted to take!”

He gave Kaoru a pat on the back, or what was supposed to be a pat. The girl audibly wheezed from the impact of his palm.

“T-Thank you, director. While the big screen is not a stage I’ve ever performed in, I am determined to achieve only the best results. For the great bard said, all the world’s a stage…”

The director turned to Chisato then, a wide smile on his face.

“Isn’t she funny? This arrangement may be strange, but I believe the two of you will make it work. I see talent in you, and this production can possibly bring it out. But it is all dependent on you two.”

He stood up then, bringing his mug to his lips for a final sip, before setting it back down.

“This meeting is adjourned. I’ll see you two when we do the read-through.”

She resisted the urge to sigh. This situation was ridiculous, but…

It was possibly the big break she needed.

Tsurumaki, while insane, was a renowned director. He consistently made films that were memorable enough to last years. They did well, despite his gruff and sloppy manner. And if she had to gain Kaoru’s unwanted company to succeed? So be it.

Kaoru organized her papers into a neat stack, sliding a paper clip into it. Chisato stood, alongside her manager, script in hand. She exited the room, in awkward silence, as Kaoru told Tsurumaki more quotes from the “great bard”, whoever that was.

Maybe today warranted a second iced black tea.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief,' as Shakespeare said.
> 
> And although their first meeting was sour, Chisato hadn’t robbed a thing from her, yet.

The meeting with the director ended in good terms, she thought. Script in hand, and the director’s smile wide as she spoke to him, Kaoru found this arrangement to be a success. Mostly. Minus Chisato’s deep stare boring into her as she spoke to the director, they left on pleasant terms.

Or as amiable as one could manage, after such a first meeting.

Perhaps she could find a way to get along better with Chisato, she thought. Maybe through text! But as she asked for her phone number she was answered with a small smile and “my manager told me not to disclose such information so openly”.

Surely another try would warrant the result she desired. But alas, as she pulled her phone out to give Chisato her number, the girl was out the door, tea and all. Her manager followed close behind, giving Kaoru an apologetic smile, before dashing to her client.

The click of their heels marking their departure, Kaoru was left in her thoughts once more. Maybe a few days with the script would do her some good. It was only the beginning, after all. Despite the rockiness of their interactions, Kaoru eased a smile onto her face. 'The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief,' as Shakespeare said.

And although their first meeting was sour, Chisato hadn’t robbed a thing from her, yet.

* * *

 

Thinking of a plan on how to gain Chisato’s favor was not as easy as she thought it would be.

Finally obtaining her number from director Tsurumaki, she texted her. A “haha” here and there took her through the most tense conversation she had since calling her mother earlier in the week. She definitely was not in Chisato’s good graces.

This distance between them started to rattle Kaoru then, even slightly. They were coworkers, were they not? Surely two actors in a romance film cannot act as such unless they are familiar to some degree. And it could spell disaster for such a production if they were to clash at every meeting!

Think, think.

Kaoru forgot how much she liked to pace as she thought. Next thing she knew, she was in the middle of the shopping district, nothing but her phone in hand and a multitude of Shakespeare quotes spinning in her head.

Sitting on a bench, she pondered the situation some more. This was going nowhere, seemingly… Her luck with contacting Chisato was not looking well. With her chin rested perfectly in her palm, she sighed.

Her hand was in her pocket, about to retrieve her phone when beside her, she heard a bout of shuffling. Something being pushed away by the wind, she thought. A flyer, maybe. Until she noticed her neighbor. With shining eyes and fuzzy ears, a pink bear easily took up half of the bench she sat on.

Michelle, the shopping district mascot.

They sat together on the bench, but it was rather warm. It couldn’t be relaxing in the slightest, to be out and about in this hot weather.

The bear’s white paws rested on the sides of her head, and they stayed there as she turned towards Kaoru in shock.

“U-um, hello.”

Kaoru chuckled at the sight. Hopefully she did not startle her.

“Greetings... You have no reason to fear me, for I’m simply relaxing. Such sunny weather wouldn’t feel as nice to a bear, correct?”

Michelle hesitated for a moment, her head tilting slightly.

“....Right. It gets a little stuffy in here, so I wanted to sit down. Uh, and you..?”

Although she only knew the bear for about a mere five minutes, Kaoru could feel her wisdom. How fleeting... Perhaps she would know a thing or two about contact and distance, being a bear amongst humans.

“I am only thinking, I suppose… An actress plays many parts, her acts being seven stages, and whatnot.”

The bear tilted her head more.

“I… I see.”

After another bout of shuffling around, Michelle uncapped the bottle beside her, pulling out its straw and placing it into her bear (?) mouth. The intellect bears possessed was incredible, Kaoru thought.

“Being a bear in modern society cannot be easy, with such,” she glanced at Michelle’s fur. “Vibrant colors... So if I may ask, how do you comfort so many in your presence? A bear is something to fear for some, is it not?”

The bear finished sipping her drink then. If Kaoru was being honest, she would have sworn human fingers exited her mouth to adjust the straw.

“Some uh… Some kids are still scared of me, so I don’t try to approach them. Can’t make them more scared then they already are… And if they always see me at the district, they can get used to me that way.”

She waved her paws at Kaoru, continuing.

“W-Well, I don’t want them to be scared of me forever.” Michelle leaned back then, her drink held tightly in one hand. “So I try to do little things, like wave at them. But if they’re still scared, I back off.”

Little things, was it? Perhaps Kaoru’s approach was overbearing. They’ve only met, after all, and from what Kaoru saw of Chisato, she cared about quality. Her reputation within the film industry… Was practically nonexistent.

While the lack of recognition Chisato had of her stung a little, it made sense. Kaoru was an actress of the theater stage and Chisato was an actress experienced with film.

Conclusion in mind, Kaoru couldn’t help but chuckle. She really overthinked this… Talking with her companion truly opened her eyes.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Eh?”

“I’ve been able to learn more from this one talk, than I have this entire day thinking by myself. The distance between her and I, you see, rivals that of humanity and the galaxies above…”

“No… Problem?” Kaoru heard a beep then, and Michelle scrambled to pull a phone out from her pocket. With a barely audible gasp, she stood up, phone and drink in one hand.

“Ah, my break is over. It was nice talking to you.”

Kaoru smiled widely, the first genuine one she felt on her face the whole day.

“The same to you. Have a wonderful day, little kitten.”

“Little…?” She scratched at her neck, unsure. “...Ah, I will.”

As the bear shuffled away, Kaoru looked up at the sky. Maybe in due time, she and Chisato can see each other in equal terms…

But only time could tell.

* * *

“How did your meeting go, Chisato-chan?”

She willed her foot to stop tapping under the table, then and there. Chisato was hoping Kanon wouldn’t ask about her meeting for the film, but it was a given. And rather than answer, she stared into her teacup in silence.

The whole week before she told Kanon how she was excited to meet face-to-face with the director for the first time, whether it be over text, or over the counter as she ordered an iced tea. It probably seemed strange how silent she was afterwards, not even mentioning it once, opting to let Kanon talk about how her sick day was.

It was easy to forget about her whole debacle with Kaoru, laying in bed, as Kanon told her about the soup her mom made for her in detail with an array of stickers on Line.

But now she was here with Kanon, at the Hazawa Cafe, no place to hide her disdain.

And Kanon was staring straight at her, forgetting the cute jellyfish-patterned cake she “just couldn’t eat” in favor of Chisato’s answer. She idly stirred the sugar into her tea with a spoon. What would she even say?

That Kaoru was not even familiar with cameras and film? That said actress spilled her drink onto her? That the sound of her flowery words gave Chisato chills? She wouldn’t be able to stall for long, so she might as well try to start somewhere.

“It was… Something. The actress who will play the other lead is an actor from the nearby performing arts center… Which would be fine, but she does not have experience in film…” Her grip on her teacup’s handle tightened. The words flew out before she could even stop them. “The way she talks is so bothersome, too. She says all these quotes I’m sure she doesn’t understand and I–”

Kanon exhaled quietly, placing her fork down.

“It sounds like a lot happened…” she whispered.

“She spilled my tea, too. She may have paid for a replacement, but… The way she went about doing so was so…” Another sigh. “I’m not sure if I am on the right path, Kanon.”

The other girl hummed thoughtfully, cutting the corner off the slice of cake.

  
“What do you mean by that?”

“I don’t… I don’t think there’s any compatibility between Kaoru and I. Her attitude is so strange, and I can’t even get a word in without her speaking for five more minutes… Maybe director Tsurumaki was wrong.”

Kanon took a sip of her tea, placing it gently back onto the table.

“I… I think it’s too soon to know, Chisato-chan.”

She was stirred from her daze then, looking up at Kanon in confusion. The girl smiled politely, continuing.

“You only met once, after all. If I depended on first impressions only, I wouldn’t have gotten to know so many people… I wouldn’t have gotten to know you!” She awkwardly laughed to herself then, a piece of cake neatly pierced on the fork in her hand. “I’m not saying you have to accept everything Kaoru-san does. But if the director really wanted you to act together… Maybe it’d be good to talk things out and get to know each other better before you do anything..?”

Kanon had a point. She didn’t even consider how much her opinion of Kaoru relied on assumption and first impressions. The fellow actress was… Eccentric, but she wouldn’t want Kaoru’s thoughts of her to be based on opinion alone, either.

God knows that the last thing that she would want is for others to force their perceptions on her.

She took a sip of her drink… Tsugumi made it wonderfully as always.

“...You’re right. I didn’t think about how hard I was judging her without a basis… Thank you for listening to me talk, especially since you were sick yesterday.”

Kanon beamed at her in return.

“I wanted to… No one wants to see their friends look so unhappy, so I’ll be here to listen when you need me!”

Even after meeting Kanon, it was a while before her walls could come down. Perhaps first impressions were not everything, and she simply needed to be more open…

The read-through was already coming up. Maybe that was her chance to start anew.

She glanced at Kanon, who was cutting the jellyfish that adorned her dessert off the cake with surgical precision.

“If I can count on you, I hope you know you can count on me, too.”

“Mhm!”

Finally satisfied, Chisato sliced a small piece off of her fruit cake, getting a taste. And like her conversation with Kanon, it was more refreshing than she could’ve imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, chapter 2 is posted! Sorry about the lack of kaochisa, but i wanted these two chapters to give the proper buildup before anything can happen... Shoutouts to ema and xin for reading both of the chapters out so far! Thank you so much for reading... see you soon with chapter 3, i hope...

**Author's Note:**

> Yay i have another kaochisa au... Thank you to those I had read this fic before posting, I havent written in a while and having that positive feedback really helped me get that push. I hope you'll join me on this journey! Thank you so much for reading!


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